Reel for conducting cords



Aug. 14, 1923 F. J. SPUEHLER REEL FOR connuc'rme conus Filed Sent. 28. 1921 Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

UNITED STATE SPATENT FRED J. SPUEHLER, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO.

REEL FOR CONDUCTING COR'DS.

Application filed September To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1.. Face J. SPUEHLER, a citizen oi the l nited States. residing at Toledo. in the county of Lucas and State 0t Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reels for Conducting (lords, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to spring reels and: has for its object the provision of a reel de signed to he used in connection the conducting cord associated with electric irons and other electrical appliances whereby to hold the cord. under tension and to prevent the formation of any slack therein which might cause tangling and consequent kinking of the wire.

An important and more specific object is the provision of a winding reel upon which the conducting cord is wound and which provided internally with spring tension means tending always to wind up the cord.

Another object is the provision of a reel of this character which is provided with novel mean whereby a constant electrical contact will be maintained so that current will be supplied to the conducting cord at all times.

An additional object is the provision of ..a device of this character which will be" simple and inexpensive iii manufactur ep easy to assemble, eiiieient in use, durable service and a general improvement in the art. j

With the above and other objects and ad, vantage in view. the invention consists in" the details of construction to be hereinafter more tully described and claimed. and illus: trated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough taken in a horizontal plane;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1!: and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-l of Figure Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 have shown my device as comprising a suitable base it) upon which are secured upright end member 11 which are of circular shape and which are formed at their highest and lowest points with apertured cars 12 and which are also formed at 28, 192 Serial No. 503,767.

intermediate points with extensions 13 each formed with two holes l i. 11 are also provided centrally with bearing holes 15 for a purpose to be described. The

two end frames 11 are held in proper spaced relation by means 01. rods 16 which have re..

duced threaded ends passing through the apertured ears 12 and carrying nuts 17.

Rotatable between the end frames 11 is a,

drum designated broadly by the DUNN/Fat 18 and this drum is formed hollow and of substantially spool shape, being provided at its outer ends with flanges 19. within and secured to the flanges 19, by means of screws or the like, are disks 20 formed of fiber, hard rubber or other suit able insulating material, and disposed outwardly of these disks are disks 21 of somewhat larger diameter which are formed of copper but which have their central portions,

22 formed of insulating material. Outwardly of the 'disks 21 I provide other disks 23 likewise formed of insulating material and of Slightl X"lSS diameter than the disks 21.

These sets of three disks are secured together i by means of suitable screws 24 which passv through all of them in each set, certain of the hOlQshbQll'lg smooth and others bcin tapped out as is of course necessary. Secure to the copper disks 21, as indicated at 25. are the ends of the conducting wires 26 whichl pass through the central portion oi the reel and which pass out through a hole 27 at sub stantiallv the center thereof. These wires 26 subsequent to their issuance from the spool or reel are'of course twisted together in the usual manner common to conducting cord used in connection with electric irons and other similar appliances. The disks 20 are of course formed with hole 28 through which the wires 26 pass.

Thereel is' supported upon shafts 20 one of which has one end formed with a squared portion 30. These shafts extend through the centers oi the disks and through the holes 15 in the end members 11 and are held in position by means of suitable nuts 31 which are ei'r aged upon the projecting ends. Secured against the inner face of one of the disks 20 is a cup shaped shell 23:2 having a central hole 13? through which the shaft 29 passes. Located within this shell is a spiral spring 3% which has one end secured to the inner periphery of the shell. as indicated at 35, and which has its other end secured upon the squared end of the shaft 29.

The end members Located Extendingbetween the end members 11 is a har 36 which 'is proyided at its ends with pins 37 which are passed through the holes H in the extensions 13 of; the endniembers and subsequently bent over or clinched. At its edge toward the reel the. bar 36 is formed with slots 38 within which are located brushes 3!) so positioned "as to bear against the peripheries of the copper disks 21. Connected with these brushes are wires 40 which extend along within the bar 36 and which are connected with the pins 41 which project from the outer face of the bar and which are adapted for association with any of the ordinary push socket connectors used in connection with electrical appliances, it being understood of course that such connection must he connected with an electric light socket or the like for supplying current to the l'rrnshes 3E1, thence to the disks 2t and from them to the wires 26.

In the use of the device it will be seen that initially the conducting cord is wound upon the reel and that the spring 34 is not undeu When the cord is unwound dur ing the use of an electrical appliance assotension.

elated therewith, it will be apparent that the reel 18 will be rotated upon the shaft 29 and this will of course result, in placing the spring 34 under tension so that there is a constant pull tending to rewind the reel and this will of course naturally result in holding the conductinn cord taut and prevent any slackness :IIM consequent kinking.

Owing to the provision of the copper disks with which the ends of the conducting wires are connected and the engagement of the V hrushes with these copper disks it will be an parent that current will always be supplied to the eoinlucting cord even while the reel is bein; rotated.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and consequently inexpensive device of the character specified which may be readily used and which will efficiently operate to perform all the functions for which it is intended. construction it is not likely that there will Owing to the simplicity f the.

'course to be readily understood that i reserve the ri ht t make such ehanges in the form. construction and arralnl'eincnt of parts as will not depart from the l lili ol' the in rent ion or the scope of the sub-joined laims.

Having thus described my lHYtHtltlH. I claim:

1. in a reel oi the character described. a hollow drum. ends for said drum caeh comprising a pair of spaced insulating plates and a conducting plate arranged intermediate said insulating plates. s curing ele ments extendingthrough the ends sceuringj the plates of each end together and the, ends to said drum, aid drum and the in; nor plates of said ends being provided with openings permittingthe insertion of conducting e'lcmcnts through the drum for cngancmcnt with the conducting plates oi said en 8, and a rotatable support for said drum nrludirnr shafts iournalcd in said ends.

2. in a reel oi' the charm-tel described, a hollow drum provided at its ends with in turned flanges, ends for said drum each comprising a pair of spared insulating plates and a. conducting plate arranged in termediate said insulating plates and of greater diameter than the insulatingplates, securing elements extending through the plates of each of said ends and having threaded engagement with the flange of aid: drum. said drum and the inner plate 0;, each of said ends being each prorii led with an opening permitting the connection otthe conducting elements with the conducting plates of said ends through said drum, a rotata blesupport for the drum including shafts extending through said ends. and a spring having one end engaged with the shaft at one end of the drum and its opp site end secured to the end of the drum. i

In testimony whereof i hereunto allix my signature.

FRED .l. HlUEHIJER; 

